For the first time in almost two years, families are set to come together this Christmas, which means unwrapping presents in person!
Last year, feigning surprise over video calls was considered to be a relatively easy task - you could claim connection issues or simply change the camera angle to hide your true reaction...
However, this year we’ll be opening those 'unexpected gifts' in front of the giver... eek!
This could lead to various awkward moments, with the eyes of the room fixed on you, and you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, do you?
If you're concerned about now being able to disguise your true reaction, first of all, don't worry, you’re not the only one. In December 2020 and January 2021 there were a total of 354,940 searches for ‘returns policy [company name]’ as many rushed to send back unwanted gifts received in the festive period.
In a bid to help thousands across the UK this Christmas, Funky Pigeon and body language expert, Inbaal Honigman have pulled together a step-by-step guide on how to act like you love those unexpected gifts!
Inbaal explained: "Surprise and gratitude are the two main emotions you want to convey when opening your Christmas presents in front of the gift-giver.
"The beauty of body language analysis is that we're doing it all the time. We sense whether someone is dishonest, just from the way they hold themselves.
"So, when you need to fake your body language, your key effort has to go into matching everything up - your words, your posture and your facial expressions have to send the same message. If something is 'off', you'll appear to be lying. So concentrate!"
If you REALLY dislike a particular gift this year, have no fear! Here's your six easy steps to mask any disappointed reaction:
Raise your eyebrows up and widen your eyes unblinkingly - eyes are the windows to the soul!
Send your limbs and facial features far and wide
Put your shoulders up and arms akimbo
Relax your jaw and allow the mouth to open up slightly making an O shape
Turn to the thrilled gift-giver with all expressions, hold the gaze and raise your voice higher to thank them.
Surprise doesn't last long, so ensure most of these steps are carried out quickly and feel free to drop the act after a few seconds, or you'll seem to be over-egging it!
And then, to follow the surprise up with a meaningful 'thank you', here’s what you need to do:
Clasp your hands together at your chest
Narrow your shoulders
Lower your eyebrows
And with an 'awwww' etched all over your face, use a deep, faux-sincere voice to express your thankfulness.
The research by carried out during the study also discovered the shops that Brits sought to send the most returns to following the festive gift-giving period.
The team analysed Google search data for the number of searches for ‘returns policy [company name]’ in December 2020 and January 2021.
In the top spot is ASOS, with an average of 12,100 searches over the two months, followed by Zara (11,000), Amazon (11,000) and Next (9,000).
